Depths of Faith
by Dreamlight
Summary: Link sets off on a quest to discover the ultimate power in order to save the planet.


_Disclaimer: No, I don't own The Legend of Zelda. These disclaimers are really annoying._

_Author's note: Ganondorf created Dark Link in this story. The reason I say this will be explained later so have patience._

** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

_ A golden-blonde haired man stood at one side of the room, a raven-haired man stood at the other. The golden one held a silver sword in his left hand that radiated a blue light, the raven one gripped a black sword that glowed with a crimson aura. Gold's blue eyes locked with Raven's red ones._

_"Link, the Eternal Hero," Raven stated, his pale lips forming a smile that revealed fangs._

_"Who are you?" Link asked calmly, but his grip on the Master Sword tightened, betraying nervousness._

_"I'm who you aren't," Raven laughed, a high pitched sound that sent a chill down Link's spine._

_"Darklink?" Link asked._

_"No!" Raven spat. "Trying to compare that pathetic creation of Ganondorf to me is like comparing a drop of water to an ocean!"_

_"What are you?" Link rephrased his question._

_Raven laughed again. "Clever, you realize I'm not Hylian. All you need to know is I'm someone that will make you and your friends suffer before killing everything on this planet."_

_"No!" Link shouted, diving at Raven with his pointed at the other's stomach. The man stepped to the side and cuffed Link behind the head._

_"This is the best the Guardian has to offer..." Raven paused at that, examining Link closely. His eyes widened in surprise as Link got up into a fighting stance. "The Guardian sends an incomplete warrior to deal with me?!"_

_"What are you talking about?!" Link yelled. Raven shook his head._

_"Because I have honor I will wait until you are complete, then I'll kill you," Raven said. He slammed the handle of his sword into Link's face._

* * * Kokiri Village * * *

The sun's rays shone through the curtains that halfway covered Link's windows, resting on his closed eyes. The man groaned and took a pillow from behind his head and placed it over his eyes to cover the treacherous light that threatened to ruin a much-needed nap.

"LINK!" A high-pitched shriek sounded in his left ear, causing Link to bolt up. He drew his fist back, hopefully able to hit hard enough to stun his attacker while he dove for his sword...until he noticed it was Saria. His green-haired friend had fallen on her rump from laughing so hard.

"I g-got y-you!" She managed to get out. Link grinned at her, causing her to stop laughing and begin to look worried. "Link...no! Don't!" Saria started laughing again, but this time it was because Link had pinned her and was tickling the Kokiri madly.

"Who got who?" Link taunted. Saria was laughing too hard form a coherent response, so Link lessened his torture a bit.

"I'll stop if you promise not to wake me up like that again," Link said. Saria nodded, willing to do anything to stop the tickle-attack. Link grinned and got off her, holding a hand to help his friend up. Saria took it, stood, and gave him a mock glare

"You're fourteen now Link," She stated, brushing herself off. "You should act like it."

"And you're at _least_ double that," Link fired back, a grin still in place.

"But I don't look it!" Saria protested.

"You sure?" Link leaned his face in to examine her. "I think I see some wrinkles."

Saria glared and shook her head slowly. "Don't even try it."

"Wait! Did you hear that?" Link put his hand to his ear. Saria tilted her head to the side. 

"There it is again!" The blonde aimed his ear at her.

Saria looked at Link with confusion. The boy clad in green snapped his fingers as if an idea hit him.

"Those must be your bones! You're so old they actually creak!" Link laughed. Saria gave up on trying to glare him into silence and chose instead to leap on him, attempting to wrestle the boy who was almost twice her size.

* * * 30 minutes later * * *

Link stretched his arms out, groaning as he did, and afterwards shielded his eyes as best he could from the sun as he climbed down the ladder from his tree-house. It was well-known to the Kokiri that Link was not a member of their race, as the eternal children tended to stop growing around ten years old. Link had continued to grow beyond that, and was still at it, now standing taller than all of them and had toned muscles from his years of swordplay; even Mido had given up on trying to beat him. 

After reaching the bottom of the ladder he walked to the stall set up next to his house, which held the horse Talon had given him; Epona. After returning to his time he'd begun to help at Lon Lon Ranch every now and then, and so well that even Ingo liked him. Two years later Talon had decided to give Epona to Link to pay him back for his work and Malon had happily agreed. She'd told Link that Epona was a horse that was meant for someone who intended to wander the world, not a person who'd stay in one place for their whole life.

"Hey girl," Link said softly, letting Epona nuzzle his outstretched hand. "Ready to go to the castle today?"

As if she understood, Epona neighed softly. Link smiled and opened the gate and lead her to the exit of the Kokiri village. He thought back to his dream and wondered if it was an omen? He'd had dreams similar to that with Ganon coming back, but they never felt so real. A talk with Zelda should make things clearer, hopefully it was just a dream.

* * * Hyrule Castle: Zelda's Dream * * *

_"Link!" Zelda cried out. The Hero of Time merely gave her a thumbs up as he stood off against another man with raven-black hair._

_ "I'll be fine Zelda," Link said._

_ "No you won't," Raven stated. The two lunged at each other, silver blade meeting black. The energy erupting from the two blades gave sparks of energy._

_ "Link!" Zelda screamed. The energy grew incredibly bright, so much that she couldn't see the fighters. She desperately tried to find a glimpse of Link, but all she could see was a strange symbol that resembled a piece of Triforce, only it was silver. A blue cross shone from the middle of the triangle before a cry of pain came from inside the light-_

_* * * _Hyrule Castle * * *

Zelda opened her eyes, quickly scanning the room she was in. It was her own. Zelda sighed in relief; it was just a dream. She yawned and sat up, stretching at the same time.

"Sleeping in late Princess?" Impa's voice came from her door way. Zelda turned to her guardian with a smile on her face.

"How late?" She asked. Impa chuckled.

"Late enough for Link to get here from the Kokiri forest," Impa said. Zelda's eyes widened.

"He's here? Now?" She began to panic. Impa did her best to refrain her laughter as Zelda ran around the room, attempting to find a set of clothes that would impress Link. 

* * * Ten minutes later. * * *

_She's certainly taking her time,_ Link thought to himself. He'd come to the castle about fifteen minutes ago and talked to Impa. The Princess's Guardian had told him that Zelda would be down shortly, but if this was her idea of short he didn't want to wait around for the long.

"Link?" Zelda called out while walking down the stairs. When she spotted him she broke into a run. "Link!" The man in green stood up to greet her, but was immediately knocked to the floor as Zelda (*Doing as any fan-girl I know would do*) glomped him.

"I...missed...you...to," Link managed to get out. Zelda may have appeared weak and frail, but she always managed to cut off his air supply with her hugs.

"It's been so long since you last visited me!" She exclaimed, removing herself from him. Link took a deep breath, several in fact, before standing up.

"It's only been a week," He protested. Zelda crossed her arms and glared at him.

"That's too long," She argued. Link rolled his eyes.

"Some might think you'd want me to _live_ here," He commented. Zelda gave him a playful smile.

"Would that be so bad?" The princess asked. Link turned red and tried to protest but Zelda cut him off.

"Just a joke," Zelda said. Link visibly relaxed and let himself be led to her room, upon reaching it Zelda sat on her bed and he on the chair near her desk.

"You're room is too clean," Link stated, looking around. "I could drop food on the floor and not have to throw it away afterwards."

"Thanks....I think," Zelda raised an eyebrow. "But I have a feeling you came for more than a greeting Link. Mind telling me why?"

Link looked a little uneasy, shifting himself to be more comfortable in his chair. "Yeah, kind of. It was a dream I had, one with a raven-haired man threatening to destroy everything."

Zelda's eyes widened. "Did he have a glowing red sword?"

"Yeah!" Link moved next to her. "Did you have the same dream?"

"Describe yours," Zelda said. "And I'll explain mine."

And so they did.

"He said you were incomplete?" Zelda asked. Link was the strongest fighter she knew of. If he was incomplete then how much power did he really have?

"Maybe that silver triangle with the blue cross had something to do with it," Link suggested. Impa walked in the room, having heard the last part. 

"Be careful of what you speak," She warned. Zelda and Link looked at Impa confused.

"What are you talking about?" Zelda questioned. Impa looked around the hall near Zelda's door, making sure no one was near.

"Do not speak of Valor so lightly," The caretaker said. "Many people would kill after hearing that name."

"Valor?" Link asked. Impa glared at him, silencing any other questions he may have had.

"You spoke of a sacred and powerful object that existed hundreds of years ago," Impa explained, still watching for eavesdroppers. "A Light god named Ellobo and a Dark god named Buhed fought over it, destroying several areas of the world in the process with their might. When the battle was over it was Ellobo who stood triumphant and he hid Valor on this world. Few know more of this tale, but there are many who seek the power of Valor. Even Ganondorf had heard of this, but chose to find the Triforce instead." 

"And what _is_ Valor?" Link wondered. Zelda nodded for Impa to continue.

"What I'm going to tell you is something only my race, the Sheikah, knows," She said. "Do not speak of this to anyone, else a fate of death awaits you at their hands. Do you agree?"

Link and Zelda murmured an agreement.

"Valor is the fourth, and final, piece of Triforce. When all four are united, that's when true power will be given," Impa said. Link and Zelda's eyes widened.

"There's a fourth piece?!" Link exclaimed. Impa nodded.

"Did you not wonder why Ganondorf's wish was truly granted? Unfortunately, it's location is unknown, but if you seek information then-" Impa was cut off as a needle flew into her neck. She touched it with her hands in disbelief before falling to her knees. Zelda rushed over to her fallen friend and Link looked for the attacker. He found the source on the window ledge; it was a woman with long black hair and red eyes. She strangely resembled Raven from his dreams, but the paleness of her skin was completely unnatural, completely contrasting with the black cloak she wore.

"Who are you?" Link demanded, pulling the Great Fairy Sword and mirror shield from a strap on his back. He'd taken up this sword after growing enough to use it comfortably with one hand. It's healing magic had proved handy in more situations than one, though it did look ridiculous.

"Hm…The Great Fairy Sword, a powerful weapon of good," The woman said in a deep voice that didn't fit her. "But Pijn's daggers are stronger...and evil." With that said she pulled out two daggers from inside the dark clothes she wore, and, despite the light that filled the room, darkness seemed to radiate from the daggers. Link blinked in surprise as the darkness flew at him and he held his mirror shield up in a guarded position, but this didn't help though as the black aura completely overtook his shield, turning it black. Link's eyes widened and he tried to drop the shield but his hand seemed glued to it.

"What in Din's name?" Link shook his hand. The woman laughed.

"Pijn is amused by Hero's weakness," She said. "Now Pijn will send you to Underworld, Hero shall die there."

The blackness grew from the shield wrapping around his gloves, somehow hurting him even through that. Link winced and tried to struggle, but this was for naught as the blackness had completely covered him.

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_Yay! The first chapter of my story is finished! Booyaka!_


End file.
